


Poached

by dawnchase



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: I use things from the comics very loosely, It's love and hate at first sight, M/M, Mentions of Cancer, Parker Industries, Peter is 21 at the beginning, They're both freelance killers, Tony nearly gets blown up, minor? character death, peter gets shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-02
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2019-02-09 14:53:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12890274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dawnchase/pseuds/dawnchase
Summary: When Tony Stark's bounty is poached, he's, understandably, pissed. Yeah, firing at the poacher might not have been the brightest idea in the box, but fuck it. From there, everything goes downwards or upwards. Depends on your view of things.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm posting it! I just realized I might have said the wrong thing considering the Assassin's Creed series, so I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. In this, Tony and Peter are both freelance killers, and this is the story of how they meet. Enjoy!

Tony Stark supposes his teenage years could have been a lot different. He could have been sleeping his way through college and partied his brains out until he hit his 30s. However, for some strange reason, he didn’t go that route. He came close, but then, his brilliant, genius brain found another outlet that could challenge him. Killing people. Well, he’d been doing that since his father died, and he got the company, but that wasn’t what he was talking about.

Tony is eternally grateful that his father never pushed him into the limelight for getting into MIT at sixteen or boasting about any of the other great achievements he’d achieved in his life. In fact, his inheritance of Stark Industries had been a private and small affair. This allowed him to operate his company remotely while allowing Pepper to be the face of the company. He was eternally grateful for Pepper as well. For her being so indulgent of his whims as well as his hobby. As a freelance killer.

Yup, he killed people for a living. Had been one since he was eighteen because his brilliant brain found it fun and challenging to kill people in a myriad of creative and different ways. From garroting to remote detonation to using a wire strong enough to slice a car and it’s occupants to pieces, the possibilities were endless. He took pride in being the best. He always got his target, and no one had ever beaten him to a bounty.

So therefore, when he sees his target getting poached right in the middle of his crosshairs, he was understandably shocked, angry, and his ego was not a little bit bruised. He had trekked three miles into freezing middle-of-nowhere Canada because his target was on a fucking hunting trip and his target got fucking poached. On reflex, Tony calculates the origins of the bullet and proceeds to fire in the direction of the neighboring cliff. He smiles when he sees some snow fall off the cliff but frowns when after a few minutes no discernable figure appears. Waiting a few more minutes, Tony then slowly and silently sneaks over to the other cliff.

When Tony reaches the cliff, he sees the clear impression of a body in the snow, but there’s no body. Scanning the area, Tony suddenly realizes the snow is slightly tinted pink.

‘Ahhhh,’ Tony thinks. So, he did get his poacher. Smirking, he begins the tedious trek back to his lodging. He might not have gotten his target for the first time, but a part of him cheers at the thought of ruining his poacher’s day because blood and bullet wounds were always a bitch to explain. When he arrives home after a six hour flight, Tony immediately heads for his underground lab.

“JARVIS, who claimed the bounty on my most recent target?” Tony inquires to his AI butler as he brings up his hologram screens. Instantly, the latest updates and reports on Stark Industries are available. Taking a minute, he skims through the information and makes some decisions before refocusing on his current problem.

“JARVIS?” Tony asks.

“Yes, sir. The bounty was claimed by an individual calling himself the Spider. He’s been active for four years,” JARVIS reveals. “There is not much else on him. Apparently, after the bounty reaches a bank account in the Caymans, it is funneled through a myriad of other bank accounts until it’s impossible to pinpoint the money’s final destination.”

Tony nods in answer. So, the guy definitely wasn’t an amateur. Of course, Tony could tell by the way he was stealthily able to get away.

“Sir, Mrs. Potts would also like you to go over the proposal to buy Parker Industries,” JARVIS adds in.

Furrowing his eyebrows, Tony can’t recall ever hearing of the company before. “Summarize Parker Industries for me.”

“Parker Industries was started out of the apartment of one Peter Benjamin Parker along with his three friends Ned Leeds, Michelle Jones, and Liz Toomes two years ago. Their first foray into the tech market was through apps. Since that time, they’ve slowly extended themselves into various different areas. Recently, they’ve unveiled a smartwatch which they claim will give the users free internet access as well as unlimited data all across the globe. Our trust department believes it would be a worthy investment to attempt to buy the company,” JARVIS finishes.

“Mmmmm. Shoot it down,” Tony orders. “It’s practically a mom and pop shop, and they’ve only had two years of experience. Besides, we don’t even know if they can do what they claim. Tell the trust department to find something else.”

“Yes, Sir. Also, Mr. Stane is here to meet you,” JARVIS complies. Getting up, Tony goes to greet his old friend.

“Obi!” Tony greets as he climbs up to the living area and makes a beeline for the pizza box in Obadiah’s hands. “How have things been?”

“They’ve been doing good. The company wishes you were more involved, but it can’t be helped. How was the hunt?” Obi asks.

“Not good. My honey got poached,” Tony admits as he takes the pizza box from Obadiah’s hands.

“That blows,” Obi says. “You know who did it?”

“Some guy called the Spider, but I got him though,” Tony answers around a mouth of pizza.

“Good,” Obadiah answers in a strange tone.

\----------------------------------

The next time Tony meets the Spider, he’s blown away. No, literally.

Tony is sitting outside of his target’s compound in a small, slightly dinged Honda. The compound itself is disguised as an abandoned warehouse in the middle of buttfuck nowhere alongside rows of other warehouses. However, Tony knows the place is armed to the teeth. So, with no choice, Tony prepares to storm the castle when a knock sounds on the passenger’s side window. Discreetly hiding the gun in his jacket as he looks up, he sees a scrawny teenager in a blue hoodie. Locks of tawny brown hair peek out from under the hoodie as the kid smiles at him before indicating for him to roll the window down. Tony complies by partly rolling down the window

“Hey, sorry to bother you, Mister, but can you tell me the time? I slipped on the sidewalk and broke my phone,” the kid sheepishly explains while holding up the phone in question. A part of Tony wonders why the kid is dressed so thinly when it’s clearly freezing outside, but he obliges.

“It’s 10:25. Shouldn’t you be-” Tony stops as he hears a thunk and glances down in alarm to see a hand grenade in the passenger’s seat. Swearing, he quickly dives out of the car and makes a run for it. The next few moments are a canopy of sound and explosions as he slides into a gap between warehouses.. Turning away from the bright light that sears his retinas, Tony crouches down and covers his ears in an attempt to not go deaf. When the sound and lights finally die down, he warily peeks out with ringing ears to find his car is on fire and that nothing remains but a charred, metal shell. The compound that held his target is likewise also on fire and nothing remains of the hideout except rubble. The little asshole blew up the whole compound to poach Tony’s target which wasn’t a bad idea but way too noisy considering where they were.

Glancing around, he finds the streets are abandoned with no one in sight. However, that won’t last long, so before the inevitable sound of sirens begins, Tony takes a long detour. Seething, he fumes on the walk back to the dingy hotel, on the plane, and basically, every place in between.

“JARVIS!” Tony roars as soon as he gets into his house. “Who the fuck claimed the bounty on my target?”

“The Spider,” JARVIS answers.

“What! You’re telling me that the Spider is some pre-pubescent punk!” Tony roars again.

“Apparently, so,” JARVIS unnecessarily provides.

“When I get my hands on him,” Tony promises himself as he imagines squeezing the life out of the son of a bitch. But first, he needed to rebuild everything he’d lost in that dingy Honda. With revenge in mind, Tony heads for his lab.

Despite Tony’s best attempts, it’s impossible for him to locate or even find any information on the Spider. He does find a Spider-Man whom was a vigilante in New York for a short while before disappearing but that’s neither here nor there. Besides the initial information JARVIS had given, everything else is just shadows and speculation. The kid keeps off camera, and the bounties claimed by him on the dark web goes quiet for a while.

In the meantime, Tony focuses on rebuilding and upgrading the tools of his trade and his company. As Pepper announces his itinerary for next year to the military, he focuses on developing his new Jericho missiles. Parker Industries also apparently made good on their promise. The watch is apparently named Webware. It’s a shame Tony misjudged them, but from what Pepper reports, they were never interested in selling in the first place.


	2. Chapter 2

It’s six month before he meets the Spider again. Unfortunately or fortunately, Tony can’t really tell which, it’s during a shootout. 

Tony curses as bullets fly from the other end of the hallway. Hunkering down against the wall, he wonders how things could have gone so wrong. The programming should have disabled all alarms as well as locked most of the guards down in their respective rooms. Instead, the alarms were currently flashing red while enemy fire continues to rain down from the other end of the hall. He really did not want to die in an expensive, remote compound of an overweight drug lord somewhere in the mountains of Canada. Why did it always have to be Canada!

When the door across from his position opens, Tony prepares for the worst and aims his gun. Upon seeing who it is, he nearly gapes in disbelief. His counterpart does.

“You!” they venomously manage in unison before being interrupted by a minigun. Immediately, the Spider hunkers down on the other side before lobbing a hand grenade down the hallway. As the grenade goes off, they hear screaming before there is a blessed moment of silence. In unison after reaching an unspoken and temporary truce through eye contact, they both creep from cover and aim their guns down the hallway. When they realize the coast is clear, they both move deeper into the compound and check both directions before heading left. Tony figures the Spider obtained a map of the compound as well from the way he doesn’t even hesitate to follow Tony.

“So, you’re the reason the alarms went off,” the Spider suddenly accuses as he grabs a few things off a body.

“Me! My program was perfect. If you hadn’t fucked things up, the alarm would have never gone off!” Tony hisses back as he does the same.

“Bullshit!” the Spider immediately objects. However, anything else he’s about to say is cut off when they hear voices. Pressing their backs up against the wall as they come to a corner, Tony glances down to see three figures. Holding up three fingers, Tony takes a second to admire the kid’s features up close before returning to the task at hand. Double checking his bullets, he moves out from cover and let’s his bullets fly. He manages to get two of them. However, the third is taken out by a bullet that’s not his. Glancing behind him, he sees the kid laying on the floor gun in hand.

“Navy looks good on you,” Tony compliments before he can stop himself, and it’s true. The brunette’s ditched the tawny look for a more slicked back version. The suit might be missing a waistcoat, but the Spider still looks like he could be the next James Bond.

“Thank you, and my programming couldn’t-” the Spider stops himself as something occurs to him. “What time did you enter your program?”

“2:36,” Tony answers and immediately knows where this is going.

“What are the fucking chances?” the kid exclaims.

“The simultaneous usage of our programs must have sent a red flag up in the systems setting off the alarm,” Tony deduces.

“Leading to our current dilemma,” the Spider says. “There’s an access panel in the left corridor at our next turn. If we can get to it-”

“We can still run the program through the system, and shut everything down,” Tony finishes as he heads for the access panel. “What does your programming do?”

“Shuts off the alarms and traps and access to the doors that can only be overridden by me,” the Spider reveals.

“Kudos to you. I forgot about the traps. We’re using yours, and I’ll provide the cover,” Tony says as they reach the access panel. Without missing a beat, the Spider immediately begins uploading his program while Tony glances up and down the hallway. Keeping his ears peeled for anything suspicious, Tony directs some of his attention towards the kid.

“Aren’t you a bit young to be in this business?” Tony asks.

“Aren’t you supposed to be living out your retirement with a young, hot thing on a beach somewhere,” the Spider immediately shoots back not even sparing Tony a look.

“You wanna be my young, hot thing. I’d be obliged to take you on a beach somewhere. Anywhere,” Tony flirts. The boy’s expression is caught somewhere between offended and flattered while a blush spreads prettily across his cheeks.

“You can think about that at a time like this?” he verbalizes in disbelief while pressing enter on the keyboard. Immediately, red lights stop flashing and everything is silent.

“Good job, kid,” Tony compliments. “And, of course.”

The boy merely rolls his eyes and takes the lead. As they make their way deeper into the compound, Tony breaks the silence again.

“Since we’re technically working together, how about we split the bounty 55-45,” Tony offers.

“Sure, but whomever puts the final bullet in the target gets the bigger cut,” the Spider counters.

“Done,” Tony agrees, and with that, they reach their target. Changing positions, Tony takes the lead.

“Okay, our target is right through those doors. However, he should be heavily protected, so we need to have a- What are you doing!” Tony exclaims as he sees the kid undo his belt.

“When I mentioned sex, I was thinking of later. After the target!” Tony harshly whispers.

“Relax,” the Spider says stripping off his clothes to reveal a form-fitting red and blue suit with a black spider on the chest and black web lines all along the body. He puts on a mask that would fit in at comic con before replying. “Watch.”

And with that, the kid hits the spider on his chest and turns invisible. Tony’s impressed. Scratch that. Tony’s really impressed. But then, he realizes this gives the kid the advantage and curses. When he hears the sounds of a scuffle along with the accompaniment of gun fire, Tony leans out of cover and fires at the still standing guards. Advancing into the room, Tony is confused to see webs everywhere as well as the a gun floating in midair pointed at his target.

‘Damn it,’ Tony thinks just as the gun goes off. He watches as the kid becomes visible again before proceeding to finish the guards execution style. Turning to Tony, the Spider takes off his mask before giving him a sly smile.

“I win,” he smugly informs, and Tony can’t help himself. The kid really needs to be taken down a few notches. Teeth clash as he surges forward to taste the boy. Their kiss is nothing short of carnivorous as they fight for dominance. When they part, the boy’s eyes are half-lidded and desire glows dimly in his jewel like eyes.

“How about we take this to your place?” the boy suggests as he licks a stripe up Tony’s neck. Eyes darkening, Tony barely gives him enough time to grab his clothes before pulling him out of the compound.

“How did you get here?” Tony manages to remember to ask.

“Airdrop,” the Spider replies, and Tony nods before revealing where he’s hidden his jeep. Tumbling into the jeep, their mouths never part. In the end, the kid uses his foot to shut the door.

“Lube?” the kid manages to get out between the electrifying kisses. Tony’s hands fumble to get the dashboard open, and he makes a victorious sound into the kiss when his hand closes around the tube. Bringing it up between their faces, he watches as the Spider goes cross-eyed before leaning back and tapping the spider symbol on his suit again. However, this time, the suit loosens, and suddenly, Tony has a naked, young, nubile thing in his lap.

“Turn around,” Tony orders, and the kid quickly turns around to present a pink, delicate little hole to his face. Slicking his fingers up with lube as the kid undoes his belt and slides down his pants, he presses a finger in just as the kid takes him in his mouth. The sound the kid makes as the first finger slides in vibrates through Tony, and he grits his teeth as the boy continues to work him. Hastily, Tony finishes the preparations while admiring his companion’s flexibility.

“Okay, okay. Get your mouth off my dick and face me,” Tony orders. The boy quickly complies before lining Tony up and sinking himself down on his dick. As Tony groans at the hot, slick feeling around his dick, the kid hisses and grips his shoulders with bruising force. Once the kid’s fully seated, Tony pets a quivering thigh and attempts to gather himself as the boy unconsciously squeezes him in an attempt to adjust. When the kid leans down to attack his face, he knows this is going to be fast and dirty. The kid wastes no time in moving his hips once he’s adjusted. Tony, unwilling to come first, quickly grabs the kid’s cock and strokes him in time with the thrusts. It doesn’t take much to push them over the edge. However, when they do, the Spider continues riding until the sharp edge of oversensitivity becomes too much forcing them to stop. Without the slightest expression of strain, Tony watches in amazement as the kid bonelessly bends back. 

“So, exactly how flexible are you?” Tony breathily questions as the kid gives no inclinations of getting off.

“Why don’t you find out?” the kid suggests as gracefully hauls himself into the passenger seat before sultrily eyeing Tony. Laughing, Tony pulls his pants back on before straightening himself out.

“Not in here, sweetheart. Next round I want a bed,” Tony suggests and waits for his partner’s reaction. Sitting naked in the passenger’s seat, the kid contemplates for a second before nodding.

Leaning forward, he whispers against Tony’s ear. “This time, you do the work.” 

Turning on the jeep, Tony replies. “That’s fair.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

Tony wakes up refreshed and relaxed. Not inclined to get up, he lays there for a minute and enjoys the after effects of a good, long night of fucking. Immediately, his mind is reeling back the tape to last night’s memories. The boy’s insatiable sex drive that matches his own. The way the kid bends like a pretzel no matter what position they used, and his personal favorite, the kid riding him thighs quivering as sweat glistens on his chest. Also, the fact that he’s a mutant with incredible strength that he could use to dominate Tony at any time but doesn’t. As well as the body. When they had met the second time, Tony had assumed the kid was scrawny. However, underneath the deceptive looking clothing was a slender physique that was perfect. Turning to the other side of the bed, he finds a post-it note instead of a body.

_‘Hey Daddy-O,_

_I had an early flight back. Last night was great, but FYI you should get better security on your phone. Don’t worry. I didn’t do anything too bad...or did I? Anyway, the 45% is in your bank account. I wouldn’t try tracing the money though._

_Catch ya later,  
The Spider _

Tony grins at the note before getting up to take a shower. All the way back home, there’s a pep in Tony’s step, and the grin on his face remains for days afterwards. It’s ridiculous.

“Okay, please don’t tell me it’s a target,” Pepper immediately pleas when she sees the expression on his face.

“It’s not,” Tony answers as glances up from his screens. Pausing for effect, Tony then adds. “It’s the competition.”

“Oh,” Pepper verbalizes in disbelief. “And, that’s so much better.”

“It is,” Tony agrees.

“He’s smart, quick-witted, and so cute,” Tony says. “He managed to hack into my phone, also he has an invisible suit,” Tony exclaims as Pepper takes a seat across the table.

“Oh, lord. Another Tony Stark. I don’t think the world can handle that. What’s his name?” Pepper immediately queries after bemoaning the fate of the world.

“Don’t know. However, his alias is the Spider,” Tony reveals.

“The Spider. Wait, didn’t he try to kill you?” Pepper questions alarmed and baffled.

“To be fair, I did shoot him first,” Tony defends.

“Okay. I’m taking the step out of your love life right now. Good luck to the both of you and don’t kill each other. Also, sign these,” Pepper wishes while handing over a mountain of paperwork. Sighing, Tony complies. He hasn’t seen Obadiah in a while, but he chalks it up to work.

*********************************

The next time they meet, it’s on a rooftop in Istanbul. Tony admires the Spider’s slim physique and patiently waits for him to take the shot before announcing his presence.

“Have dinner with me,” Tony more demands then requests. The kid keeps his eyes in the scope for a bit to double check his target is dead before replying.

“Hey, Daddy-O,” he greets smiling at Tony. “Is that a question or a statement?”

“What’s the difference?” Tony queries.

“Because a statement doesn’t get you anywhere, however, a question will get you dinner and maybe dessert,” the Spider defines as he leans in to kiss Tony.

“A question. That was definitely a question,” Tony answers as his hands wrap around the brunette’s hips. “Do you have any preferences?”

The Spider merely smiles sweetly at him before turning around to dismantle his sniper rifle. Custom modified from what Tony can tell. He has to quickly remind himself that it’s unattractive to drool.

“Surprise me,” the Spider answers as he places the last piece in his case, and Tony immediately rattles off the name of a hole-in-the-wall restaurant that has magnificent Turkish food and wine as well as a time. Looking at him, the Spider nods in response before stepping off the roof. Heart dropping, Tony rushes to the edge just in time to see the kid disappear into the crowd. Looking down, Tony sees the same type of spider silk that he saw in the compound during their last encounter. Curious, he takes a sample and tucks it away.

Tony arrives early and secures a secluded table away from the rest of the crowd. Since the setting is casual, Tony opts for a leather jacket, t-shirt, and jeans. When the Spider arrives wearing identical clothes except for a denim jacket, he can’t tear his eyes from the boy. The blue of his attire contrasts his pale skin beautifully while leaving that pale column he called a throat open to his wandering gaze. When the kid sees him, his eyes light up and his grin is earnest and eager.

“Hey,” the kid quietly greets as he saunters over.

“Hey to you, too,” Tony greets back smiling. “I took the liberty of ordering some wine. If you don’t like it, feel free to order something else.”

Taking a seat, the Spider takes a sip of the wine.

“I like it,” he says smiling at Tony, and for the rest of the evening, they talk about various topics. Between bites of food, the discussion range from investments to the latest advancements in science. Apparently, they’re both science enthusiasts. As the meal draws to a close, Tony decides to take a bold step forward.

“Listen, I’m staying in Istanbul for a bit of business these next few days. Would you like to explore the city with me? I’m Tony, by the way,” Tony asks.

The Spider takes another sip of the wine before answering. “What a coincidence. So am I, and for the record, I don’t think that’s the best thing we could be doing together, but it would be the safest. So, I would love to. I’m Peter,” Peter introduces as he extends his hand to shake Tony’s. Taking the hand, Tony shakes it before bring it up to his lips, and watches Peter flushes in response.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the reviews guys! I appreciate it! Sorry about this being so late! Enjoy! There are way to many exclamation marks in this. Fun fact: A combination of an exclamation mark and a question mark is called an interrobang. We should use it more.

From there, it becomes a whirlwind of romance. They exchange numbers on disposable phones at the entrance of the restaurant before parting ways. The next few days, they try to meet up in Istanbul as much as they can. Once they part ways, they periodically text each other and meet up when their locations won’t compromise one another. They do this for months, and although there are periods of silence, the connection between them holds strong.

But, what Tony looks forward to the most are the times they talk. As they meet up more and more, they grow closer. And in between the sex and sleep, when all their walls are down, Tony finds himself opening up about his life and vice versa.

Tony tells Peter about the people he’s killed, and the places he’s been. In return, Peter does the same. A lot of the time, they’ll talk about science. Application theory that invigorates Tony’s ingenious mind and makes him wish he could lock the both of them together in his lab. They both stay away from matters too personal, but sometimes, in between the talks of their passion, things slip out. And those moments, are what Tony treasures the most.

As Tony prepares himself for a meeting with the elusive CEO of Parker Industries, his mind wanders to that time in Iceland.

********************flashback**************************

“You know, I used to be a superhero once. Back then, I was all about watching out for the little guy. My uncle even had this saying, ‘With great power, comes great responsibility,’” Peter suddenly divulges as they stare at the aurora borealis through the domed glass ceiling.

“What happened?” Tony curiously inquires.

“I’m an orphan. Never really knew my parents. My aunt and uncle raised me. My uncle died when I was fourteen. My aunt got hit by a truck on my seventeenth birthday. There really wasn’t a legit way to pay for her medical bills. I garroted my first kill the next night. It paid for most of the bills, but it still wasn’t enough. So, I just kept killing and never stopped,” Peter softly reveals.

“I’m sorry,” Tony says because he doesn’t know what to say although he truly is sorry.

“Don’t be. My Aunt May developed cancer the next year. It couldn’t be cured, but she lived in comfort until her last breath. This job also gave me the capital I needed for my friends and I to start our company. Besides, I also got to meet you,” Peter said. Looking up at him, pain shining brightly in his eyes even as he smiles at Tony. Tony kisses him and watches as Peter lays his head back against his chest.

“Kid, your life sucks. My life was luxury in comparison. I started killing as a hobby when I was eighteen because that was the most fascinating thing my brain found fun. I’ve invented things, and I own a company as well. I had my dad, but he was the caricature of an absentee father. My mother, however I loved to death. I was so distraught after their death my kill count practically quadrupled as my brain went into creative overtime,” Tony reveals in return. They lay there for a few minutes before Peter turns his head to look at him.

“Do...you know who I am?” he suddenly and hesitatingly queries.

“No. I was curious, and for a time, I thought about taking a picture and figuring it out, but I decided not to,” Tony truthfully answers and watches as a soft and beautiful smile decorates Peter’s face. Leaning forward, Peter kisses him sweetly.

“I know who you are. I figured it out after our first encounter when you shot me,” Peter admits.

“I figured as much, but up until this point, you’ve never done anything. So, I never felt like I needed to worry,” Tony admits. “You haven’t even asked me anything about my business.”

“Honestly, even if you are the competition, I’d rather not resort to corporate espionage,” Peter admits as he kisses him on the cheek. “Though, I’ve been meaning to ask.”

“Ask what?” Tony questions after kissing Peter back.

“What’s with the alias Iron Man? Seriously, could you not think of a better name?” Peter questions with a mischievous smile.

“I was eighteen, okay. And, I might’ve been a little too drunk when I claimed the bounty,” Tony embarrassingly admits. Laughing softly, Peter merely presses another kiss to his cheek before moving to straddle him.

*****************************

“Explain to me, Pepper. Why I have to personally meet the CEO of Parker Industries again?” Tony exasperatedly groans as they head towards the designated meeting room. It's just Pepper and him since Obadiah was in Afghanistan on some personal business.

“Because Tony, Parker Industries recently bought out Oscorp, and they’re offering a lot of Oscorp’s designs to us at an exorbitantly low price. They’ll fight tooth and nail to keep Oscorp’s biology department, but everything else is fair game. All they want in return for the exorbitantly low price is to meet you in the flesh. I’ve already had everyone in the meeting room sign the specifically created NDAs. They’ve also had us sign NDAs as well. Here is yours. If they breathe a word of this or about you outside of this room, we can sue them for everything they own and vice versa,” Pepper finishes as she hands him the NDA.

“What do they even have that were interested in?” Tony demands as he signs. Considering Oscorp was tanking like crazy ever since Parker Industries muscled into their sector, Tony wondered what he had been missing.

“There’s this prototype of an enhancement suit as well as a glider that the R&D Department are dying to get their hands on. They think it could be modified to gear up the next generation of combat soldiers,” Pepper explains sending the NDA off as he pulls the schematics for the enhancement suit up. Tony couldn’t argue. The suit was impressive.

“And, how much are they offering it for?” Tony questions again.

“32 million for the whole weapons department including that,” Pepper states. Tony whistles at the figure as they approach the meeting room.

“That is exorbitantly low. What’s with the blacked out windows?” Tony questions with a frown as he sees the glass windows of the meeting room had been tinted black.

“It was the request of the CEO. Apparently, he would like to retain a low profile,” Pepper answers.

“Very well. Let’s head on in,” Tony says as he opens the door for Pepper. Stepping in after Pepper, he stops when the chair across the table turns around to reveal Peter. His Peter. Taking a moment to gather himself, Tony extends a hand as he walks forward.

“Mr. Parker, it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance,” Tony manages to greet as his mind processes the implications.

“Likewise, Mr. Stark,” Peter returns as he gives him a charming grin. The rest of the meeting is a blur. All Tony knows is that, towards the end, he signed something before Pepper as well as Peter’s three friends walks out of the room to give them a moment. As soon as the door closes, Peter gives him a fond smile.

“I figured since I knew about you, it was only fair,” Peter explains.

“Is this going to change anything?” Tony finds himself asking.

“Only if you want it to,” Peter answers as he walks around to lean on the table beside him.

“Are you mad?” Peter questions as uncertainty enters his eyes, and suddenly, Tony finds himself sweeping Peter into his arms.

“No, you’re perfect, baby. Now, I need you to sign a few more NDAs before I lock you in the lab with me. You do understand that we are officially in business together, right?” Tony questions hoping Peter won't take offence. Smiling, Peter only kisses him in answer.

“Which by the way, I’ve been trying to reverse engineer your webs for months. You have got to show me how you make them. Also, Webware. That was like a dead giveaway. I should’ve connected the dots,” Tony babbles as Peter kisses his face.

“After the NDAs,” Peter says smiling against his lips.

“Absolutely. After the NDAs,” Tony continues to babble between kisses. “My god. We’re going to do so much science and sex together though not necessarily in that order. Also, there’s this bounty that we should really double team on. Guy is worth 1.5 bil-”

“Tony,” Peter kindly interrupts, and the sound of his name falling from Peter’s lips is as orgasmic as always. “Shut up.”

So, Tony does and kisses Peter like he’s going to die tomorrow. They don’t get around to signing the NDAs until much later. In fact, Tony guides Peter to a private elevator that in turn takes them straight to the garage where a limo is already waiting. As he’s feeling Peter up under his clothes, Tony realizes he recognizes the suit. Leaning back, Tony takes a second good look.

“This is the same suit from our third encounter, isn’t it?” Tony voices his suspicions.

“I thought it would be appropriate,” Peter replies. Tony dives in for another kiss, and he really doesn’t know how they manage to get to his mansion without scarring the driver. What Tony does know is that the first thing Peter does is toss him onto the couch before riding him like a fucking horse. Afterwards, they go at it in a few other areas before finally making it to the bedroom.

In the morning, Tony wakes up to Peter straddling him again.

“Hold on,” Tony quickly interrupts. “If we’re a thing now, what were the bases?”

“What?” Peter distractedly verbalizes as he kisses Tony’s neck.

“What are our bases?” Tony repeats while holding Peter’s hips still. Peter stares at him in disbelief.

“You have a 23-year old straddling you, and you’re asking about bases?”

When Tony doesn’t answer and continues to stare at Peter, Peter rolls his eyes.

“Fine! First base was when you shot me, second base was when I tried to blow you up, and third base was the compound,” Peter impatiently answers.

“Then, what’s the home run?” Tony continues to question.

“Home run is when we met in Istanbul and everything that came after. Anymore questions?” Peter glares down at Tony who finds it kind of hot.

“No. No more questions,” Tony answers letting go of his hips. Immediately, Peter’s kissing him again before a voice from downstairs interrupts.

“Tony!” Peter leans back with an annoyed look and gets off of him, taking the sheet in the process.

“Tony!”

“You should answer that, Tony,” Peter advises while throwing Tony’s clothes at him. Sexually frustrated, Tony throws on yesterday's clothes before heading downstairs.

“Obi, what is so important that you have to come so early in the morning?” Tony growls.

“Woah, tiger. I’m not the enemy. I’ve just got a favor to ask. Also, it’s almost nine. You’re usually awake earlier, and hello, who is that?” Obadiah suspiciously questions as he stares at someone behind him. Belatedly, Tony realizes Peter has followed him down. In only Tony’s bedsheet.

“This is Peter,” Tony introduces suddenly wary of Obadiah’s accessing gaze.

“He’s a friend,” Tony continues unwilling to divulge whom Peter really is. With one last glance, Obadiah dismisses Peter.

“Oh, well. Nice to meet you, Peter,” Obadiah greets while Peter merely tilts his head from behind Tony.

“Anyway, that project you’ve been working on, it would really help if you could make an appearance during the demonstration,” Obadiah unsubtly hints.

“You mean Jericho? I thought you had that handled, Obi,” Tony questions.

“I do, however the military would really like it if you were to personally be there to see the results with them,” Obadiah explains. “It would really reel them in.”

Sighing, Tony knows he’s going to regret this. “When?”

“In about three months,” Obadiah answers.

“I’ll do it,” Tony agrees, and Obadiah smiles before heading off. As soon as the door closes behind Obadiah, Tony turns to look at Peter.

“Who’s that?” Peter inquires.

“That was Obi. He’s my business partner and mentor,” Tony explains.

“He gives off a weird vibe,” Peter merely states. “Anyway, now that the mood is dead, what should we do?”

“Well, first we can shower while the food arrives,” Tony suggests as he places his hands on Peter’s shoulder and begins to rub soothing circles into the skin.

“Then, we can sign the NDAs and head down to the labs,” Tony continues nipping at a delectable, cream shoulder while his hand started stroking the planes of Peter’s body. “Then, I can show you some of my stuff that I’ve been dying to talk about with you.”

“Yeah?” Peter breathily encourages as Tony migrates to his neck. The mood was clearly back on. Turning, Peter jumps on him and wraps his legs around Tony’s waist. 

“Why don’t you go back to that part where you explain how you’re going to clean me in the shower, Daddy-O?” Peter demands as he kisses Tony.

“I think theory application would be better in this case than just explaining,” Tony answers while navigating them up the stairs.

“Then, show me,” Peter orders, and Tony does. They don’t touch the NDAs until noon, and it’s even later when they finally get into the lab. Surprisingly, they’re a productive pair in the lab. Despite the unspoken promises of lab sex, the two of them get so wrapped up in Tony’s projects that they fall into bed exhausted instead. This continues for a few weeks. Their projects are many and so varied that the two skip around. One week, they visit the concept of a miniaturized arc reactor, and another week, they’re focusing on finding a way to weave carbon-fiber and steel into Peter’s suit attempting to make it essentially bulletproof.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally got this chapter up! Yay! Shout out to all the readers and reviewers out there! Happy New Years, everyone!

However, the two are still CEOs of their respective companies. So, all too soon, Peter’s called away on business since he’s based in New York, and Tony has to stay in California because he doesn’t have a New York branch, yet. Due to the upcoming presentation of the Jericho missiles, Tony is busier than usual. Between paperwork, tinkering, and boring meetings, Tony barely has time to come up with ring designs. They still talk whenever they can, but it’s not the same, and they both know it. So, when Tony wakes up to see Peter sitting on the bed watching him. He’s surprised and confused.

“Sweetheart, aren’t you suppose to be in New York?” Tony inquires as he examines Peter in a blue-gray suit with a black button-up underneath and a black and white polka dot tie. The man looks fetching, and there’s Tony’s libido.

“Yeah, but I wanted to send you off,” Peter explains, and suddenly, Tony realizes the kid’s worried.

“Sweetheart, everything is going to be fine. Nothing is going to happen to me while I showcase the Jericho missiles. I’m going to be with the military the whole time,” Tony reassures as he sits up and kisses Peter. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

“I know, but I’ve got a bad feeling,” Peter glances down and that’s when Tony realizes he’s holding something that looks like a button up but slightly more bulky. “Our idea about combining carbon-fiber and steel in a weave along with the material from my suit, I made it. It’s just a prototype, but it works. And, I would be really happy if you would wear it.”

Tony’s heart hurts when Peter doesn’t even look up as he’s delivering this speech.

“I’ll wear it,” Tony immediately agrees and watches as Peter’s head jerks up in surprise. “If it means that much to you, I’ll wear it.”

Tony brings Peter’s hands up to his lips and tenderly kisses them before leaning forward for his prize. Peter quickly complies, and their mouths lustfully nip at each other.

“Sir, your plane is due to take off in an hour. Please be ready before then. Also, Mr. Parker, your plane to New York is also due at around the same time,” JARVIS suddenly interrupts. They both draw back in understanding, and Tony heads into the bathroom for a shower. When Tony gets out, they eat breakfast in silence before getting into the car.

On the car ride over, Peter leans against him and explains in great detail what their invention could do. Tony’s impressed that Peter was able to apply most of their theories considering they were just theories, but Peter is Peter. So, Tony listens as he details how the pattern of the weave as well as the material would stop bullets and redistribute the force in a way that any bruises sustained would be much smaller than a bulletproof vest. Tony notices how thin the material actually is and questions Peter about it. Peter smiles in return and explains that, since the original concept was suppose to be integrated into his invisible Spider suit, making it as thin as possible without compromising the protection was a must.

When they get to the airport, they don’t say goodbye. Instead, they share one last passionate kiss for the road. Peter doesn’t see him off at the plane. Instead, they part ways at the car with Peter giving him one last worrying glance while Tony squeezes his hand in reassurance. Tony reminds himself to pop the question as soon as he gets back thinking about the rings hidden in his nightstand.

As it turns out, Peter’s intuition is right. The demonstration goes off without a hitch, but they’re ambushed on the way back. The military doesn’t give him a gun, but it would’ve been useless anyway because his own missile takes him out. As he lays there in pain, vision going black, his thoughts go to Peter, and he hopes his body makes it back to him. At least, that would give his Spider some closure.

When Tony wakes, he’s surprised to find he’s not dead. Instead, he’s cold, in a cave, and there are bandages around his chest. Looking around, he sees a man in a suit using a dirty, small mirror to shave.

“What happened?” Tony questions.

“You were hit at close range by, ‘The Walking Death,’ and lived to tell the tale,” the man in the suit explains. “You are a very lucky man. Usually what happens is the shrapnel enters your body and takes a week to reach your vital organs hence its name. However, the only thing you've suffered, my friend, is relatively shallow flesh wounds. I managed to take a look at your shirt before it was taken away. What was it?” the man questions. 

“A very special gift from my soon-to-be fiance,” Tony answers, chuckling. However, his next sentence is interrupted when his captors come in to introduce themselves to him...with his weapons. Unsurprisingly, they want him to build them a Jericho missile. Initially, he refuses and seethes at the idea of his weapons falling into the hands of terrorists, however after a few rounds of waterboarding, Tony complies, for the moment.

Later, while in discussion with Yinsen, the man in the suit, Tony verbalizes his doubts about leaving the place alive, and upon finding his thoughts echoed, they begin to work on a plan. The Ten Rings might need Tony to make them weapons, but his value wouldn’t last forever.

Over the next few days, Tony slowly and carefully draws up the schematics for a suit of armor that would break them out before applying Peter and his ideas of a miniaturized arc reactor into his plan. Even though his captors are watching his every move with a camera, they're slow on the uptake since they don't know what to look for.

As Tony works, a small part of him in the back of his mind niggles at inconsistencies with this whole situation. Tony finds it suspicious that his captors are always cautious with him. As if, they’re aware of his second occupation. Another thing is the fact that they knew when to strike when his arrival in and out of Afghanistan should've been a secret. Something fishy is going on.

After their threatened by the head of the Ten Rings, he and Yinsen quickly finish the suit and are in the midst of executing their escape when their captor start noticing and demanding answers. Due to the language barrier, their captors grow suspicious, and they're forced to move up the time table even more as the two idiot guards set off the bomb they had planted on the door.

Yinsen manages to execute his program and suit Tony up before running off to give him more time despite Tony’s protest. As soon as the program is fully loaded, Tony waits for his former captors to get close before punching his way towards the exit. As planned, the suit is bulletproof to the point they don’t even make a dent. Ignoring the commotion deeper in the caves, Tony follows the instructions that Yinsen had forced him to memorize and manages to make it to the cave opening. However, he’s too late. Although Tony’s able to dodge in time to save himself as well as knock out the leader, Yinsen’s bleeding out on a pile of sandbags. With his dying breath, he advises Tony to cherish his loved ones before leaving Tony to mourn his life. Furious, Tony flips the mask back down and prepares to take out the guards at the entrance when a sound behind him causes him to stop.

Turning around, all he sees is a red fist come toward him before he’s down on the ground with someone above hitting him so hard that they’re actually denting the metal! Through his eyeholes, he’s able to make out the Spider’s suit.

“Peter?” Tony voices in disbelief, and the figure immediately stops his beat down.

“Tony?” he hears Peter voice in disbelief as well. With that, Tony flips the mask back up at the same time Peter rips off his mask. As soon as Peter sees him, he’s kissing Tony despite the sweat, grime, and excessive amount of bristles on his face. Although Tony isn’t complaining, they do have more pressing matters.

“Hey, sweetheart. I missed you so much. Your prototype was a lifesaver. I could’ve had shrapnel stuck in my chest if not for you,” Tony manages in between kisses. “I hate to interrupt the moment, but we have more pressing concerns.”

“There’s around fifteen people armed to the teeth out there. Also, they have a massive stockpile of Stark Industry weapons,” Peter reports as he gives Tony a once over.

“Okay, sweetheart. I know you’re not going to like this, but you need to get out of here,” Tony orders. Peter opens his mouth to protest, but Tony cuts him off with a sharp movement of his hand. “Sweetheart, I’ve got flamethrowers strapped to my arms. I am blowing this place to kingdom come, and this armor will ensure my survival. However, you’re in a flimsy, bulletproof suit. Get out of here. Hunker down, and I’ll come find you when the deed’s done.”

They glare each other down. Peter wanting to stay while Tony wants him gone. Eventually, Tony wins, and Peter reluctantly complies, lips pressed in a thin line. Peter gives him one last kiss before putting the mask back on.

“FYI, if you die, I will wreck your car collection,” Peter threatens.

“When we get back, I’ll make it up to you,” Tony promises. “Wait for me to engage them before making a break for it.”

With that, Tony steps out and let’s the guards take a few shots at him before retaliating. Using the flamethrowers, he simultaneously takes out the guards and his own weapons. As the weapons begin exploding, Tony hopes Peter’s gotten far enough before propelling himself into the sky as the ground beneath him explodes. A second explosion propels him farther from his prison before the thrusters give out and sending him crashing into a sand dune. With the pieces of his armor scattered around him and the frame partially trapped in the sand, Tony painstakingly begins to unstrap himself from the armor. Almost half an hour later as Tony rips the arc reactor from the armor, Peter find him.

“You alright?” Peter immediately calls out in concern as he makes his way over to Tony. Wrapping an arm around Peter, he kisses his forehead before answering. “Better than I’ve been in weeks, baby.”

Tony watches as Peter taps at the watch on his wrist before directing his attention to the arc reactor in his hand.

“Is that a miniaturized arc reactor?” Peter exclaims as Tony hands it to him. As Peter examines the arc reactor, Tony is reminded of why he fell for him in the first place.

“How’d you find me?” Tony questions genuinely curious as the incident should’ve been kept under wraps.

“I hacked into the military to keep an eye on you. When they reported that you were MIA, I immediately chartered a plane back to California and had JARVIS start looking into anything suspicious. Based off the groups that operated in the Kunar Province, I was able to narrow down the possible terrorists cells, but since I couldn’t storm in and off the cells one by one, I had to go with the next best option. Your arrival and departure should’ve been of utmost security. So, from that I deduced you either had a mole or the military did. The military turned out to be a dead end, therefore the next stop was anybody that was close to you and the board of directors.” Peter pauses a moment before continuing.

“Imagine my surprise when I found a couple of shady transactions well hidden in Obadiah’s financials. From there, I had JARVIS help my track down the money which led me here. I didn’t know if you were still alive, so I told them I would pay double what Obadiah did if I could personally finish you off. They agreed, and the rest is sort of history,” Peter finishes.

“Wait, Obi double-crossed me?” Tony disbelievingly verbalizes.

“Yup. Apparently, the original plan was to get the Ten Rings to kill you, but he didn’t count on the Ten Rings to double-cross him and keep you alive for their own intentions,” Peter answers.

“So, you single-handedly walked into a terrorist hideout with cases full of money. How were you going to get me out?” Tony questions.

“The first bullet would have been filled with fake blood while the others would have been live rounds. I figured we could fight our way out, and as for everyone else in the cave, I lined the walls of the cases with liquid explosives. That was the second explosion you heard,” Peter cheerily informs as the sound of helicopters draws close. Glancing up, Tony watches as helicopters bearing the Parker Industries logo hover above them.

“Let’s go home,” Peter says as he climbs onto one of the ladders the helicopters rolls out. Smiling, Tony follows. As they settle into the seats, a thought occurs to Tony.

“What happened to Obadiah?” he inquires as he knows Peter would never just let the man walk free.

Peter grins at him before answering. “I locked him in one of my warehouses. My friends have been taking turns watching him. He’s waiting for you.”

And, he is. Obadiah looks much better than Tony thought he would look, but Peter had said the man was waiting for him. Of course, Obadiah denies the accusations at first, but when faced with the transactions Peter had dug up, the ugly truth comes to light. Indigent at being placed second best to Tony, he’d been planning Tony demise for years. Obadiah was the one who sold his weapons to the terrorists behind his back. Obadiah had been the one to tip off the Ten Rings about the convoy’s route and nearly lodged Tony’s own designs into his heart. In the end, Tony forgoes torture and puts a bullet between Obadiah’s eyes instead. A small mercy for the years of service. As Peter helps him dispose of the body later, Tony sighs in relief.

‘It’s over,’ he thinks.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should've posted this all in chapter 4, but I didn't realize how close I was to the ending. Well, this is the end of my first fanfic. I hope y'all enjoyed it.

Except. It isn’t. The nightmares begin as soon as he gets back. Memories of darkness and then blinding lights, the pain as he wakes up mid-surgery and feels the knife cutting into his chest, and the sensation of drowning as his captors waterboard him.

It irritates him that his mind recalls these dark times with perfect clarity, driving him into his workshop at all hours of the night. Dreading sleep, Tony locks himself in the lab and refines the concepts he first built in the cave. With Peter’s occasional input, Tony works and tests his prototypes tirelessly until he’s made a suit of armor that puts its predecessor to shame. Through endless hours of tinkering, Tony’s able to refine the arc reactor’s efficiency ratio, giving it a major power boost and enabling it to use less palladium while putting out more power. His first test drive of the suit is breathtaking as he flies through the skies of California. The second version is sleek and fast, sacrificing none of the power for speed or maneuverability.

However, it isn’t the end. Because of Obadiah, the Ten Rings are still active despite all the damage he and Peter had done. Instead of being used to end and deter wars, his weapons were being used to start them. Angered, Tony sets out to clean up Obadiah’s mess. Suiting up, Tony flies back into Afghanistan to destroy every last weapon Obadiah had ever sold to the Ten Rings. As expected, the suit performs perfectly. The titanium alloy armor renders its wearer bulletproof. With none the wiser except for a small incident with two Raptor Jets, Tony finishes what he set out to do.

Except, it’s not enough. Despite the endless hours creating suit after suit, refining the arc reactor, and cleaning up Obadiah’s mess, the nightmares continue, circling endlessly in his mind like a horror playlist on repeat.

Everything comes to a head one night when Peter visits. Lost in his work, Tony fails to respond when Peter calls his name. Unable to rouse him from his work, Peter touches his shoulder, and Tony’s catapulted back into his memories of being held underwater. Terrified, Tony blindly swings the tool in his hand before he can stop himself. Thankfully, Peter’s superhuman reflexes allow him to dodge back in time, but upon seeing the wariness in his lover’s eyes, something in Tony breaks. It occurs to him, then and there, that he’d almost ruined the greatest thing that had ever stepped into his life. As he falls to his knees, wracked with guilt and tears forming, Peter moves forward to hug him. Immediately, he latches onto the kid, sobbing while babbling apology after apology into his stomach. Tony has no doubt if Peter wasn’t a mutate, he would be calling the ambulance by now.

Instead of attempting to push him away, Peter cards his fingers soothingly through Tony’s hair and presses him closer. Tony doesn’t know how long they stay like that, but eventually, he lets his grip fall from Peter’s waist. Ashamed, Tony doesn’t dare look up at Peter. In response, Peter bends down and kisses him before taking a hand and guiding him to their bed. Laying down, Tony presses his face into Peter’s chest and has the best sleep he’s had in awhile. The next day, when he wakes up, Peter’s still there. Looking up at Peter who has nothing but sympathy and understanding beyond his years in his eyes, Tony asks the one question he had not dared to ask since he got back.

“Why?” In return, Peter only smiles at him sad, tinged with bitterness, and so beautiful despite their pain.

“When I first started killing, the faces of my victims haunted me,” Peter begins, eyes distant.

“It didn’t matter if they were murders, warlords, drug lords, or rapists. They all haunted me. Every night when I went to sleep, I saw their faces. Ashamed, I threw myself into the business and shut my friends out. If they hadn’t forcefully made me share my problems and help me find ways to cope, I might’ve gone insane,” Peter admits.

“Everyone needs somebody, Tony,” Peter states while looking into his eyes. “Don’t lock us out.”

So, Tony doesn’t. When he can, Peter comes around as often as possible, and when Peter isn’t there, it’s always Pepper. She distracts him by getting him to sign paperwork or lectures him about becoming more involved in the company. And, Tony does. Slowly, Tony realizes he doesn’t want his only legacy to be one of death, weapons, and destruction. He hates the title Merchant of Death, and immediately, halts all weapons manufacturing. He makes the announcement that Stark Industries will be expanding in a new direction. Cleaner energy, helping cities across the US, and truly inspiring the next generation become his new agendas. And, through it all, Peter’s always in the background, quietly supporting him.

Upon further reflection, Tony realizes Peter has always been there though Tony might not have noticed it at first. He seems to have an innate sense of when Tony needs him the most and when Tony needs his space. When Tony needs him, Peter’s there or he’s on video call, if Tony needs space, likewise, Peter makes himself scarce. Peter purposely walks loudly and calls out to him to refrain from startling him. When Peter places things down, he’s always careful, ensuring the contact of item to table is quiet in case the sound sets him off. None of the changes are huge. In fact they’re all subtle, but Tony finally sees and these small changes tell him more than enough.

Overall, it takes a total of seven months for Tony to learn to cope. Some days are worse than others, but Peter and Pepper are always there to help. Tony finds it easier to smile, and the positive press that Stark Industries has gained from its abrupt change in industries helps. He begins to feel more like himself.

On the anniversary of the day they met, Tony takes Peter to Canada ignoring the look Pepper gives them as they head out. Tony books a getaway at a remote lodge in the mountainside where they spend the day skiing and snowboarding before retiring inside for a candlelight dinner. The lodge is all brown and white and combined with the decorations, gives off a homey atmosphere. After dinner, Tony guides Peter outside where they stand on the balcony staring at the lights. Although Peter knows the science behind the aurora borealis, it doesn’t stop him from being enthralled by the display of light hitting gas particles. Watching Peter, Tony finds himself enthralled as well. As Peter leans against him, Tony steels his nerves.

“When we met during that double team at the compound, did you think this would happen?” Tony muses aloud.

“I don’t think either of us could’ve seen this coming, Daddy-O,” Peter teasingly answers.

“It’s funny. The first time we met it was in Canada, and the first time we slept together was also in Canada,” Tony observes.

“I guess Canada’s special. It has a way of bring people together like nowhere else,” Peter quips.

“I suppose it does,” Tony agrees giving Peter a fond look. Getting down on one knee as Peter watches in confusion, Tony takes a deep breath.

“Our beginning wasn’t the best, but I don’t regret shooting you. We got off on a rough, wrong foot, but you got even. The times we were together were my happiest, and you’ve already seen me in my darkest days. And, instead of abandoning me, you stayed. So, Peter Benjamin Parker, will you do me the honor of marrying me?” Tony soliloquies as he holds up the ring.

A part of Tony preens at the fact he’s rendered Peter speechless, but a bigger part of him holds his breath in anticipation for Peter’s answer. As Peter stands there gaping, Tony’s knee begins to grow cold and hurt, and he wonders if he should’ve proposed inside.

“Y-Yes,” Peter finally stutters before flinging himself at Tony. Quickly snapping the case shut so he doesn’t lose the ring, Tony balances his and Peter’s weight as Peter attacks his face with enthusiasm. Slowly, they get up and without breaking contact, head inside where Peter shows him his appreciation and joy over the proposal.

Later, as Peter holds up his hand to admire the ring, Tony confesses.

“You know I’ve been meaning to do that for about eight months.” Flipping over, Peter looks at Tony with such warmth and fondness it leaves him breathless.

“I was actually in the middle of designing our rings when you sprung this on me,” Peter smiles and leans forward for a kiss. “Apparently, great minds think alike.”


End file.
